Rock (Lee) Cafe
by Lasympathetique
Summary: Rock Lee finds a gem of a cafe downtown, and an even prettier prize inside. But is he really smooth enough procure such a catch?
1. Chapter 1

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon when Rock Lee entered the strange downtown café. It had recently opened and he was eager to try it out. Music posters and rustic furniture gave the café an old-fashioned hipster vibe, which Lee didn't mind. Although he never really paid much attention to aesthetics; his main concern was if the coffee was good.

He stood away from the counter to browse the menu options. Lee wrinkled his nose. Everything was extravagantly named, to the point where each menu item was unrecognizable. There was "farm-house stock", "oats and nuts", and something called "cat paw" that was listed under the foods menu.

 _Cat paw?_ Lee thought for a moment. _Shrouded in such mystery…surely this will be a worthy first order!_

He strode with confidence to order. "Hello, I would like-"

Rock Lee stumbled and flushed as he suddenly found himself looking into the most arresting blue eyes he had ever seen. The barista was about his age, fifteen or sixteen, with pale skin that appeared even paler framed by short deeply red hair. His eyes were empty and staring, rimmed with black kohl. Lee felt a strange not-unpleasant chill run down his spine. He realized the reason the boy looked so strange was because he did not have any eyebrows. He was a good deal shorter than Rock Lee, who was admittedly tall, but also seemed to be seventeen or eighteen.

"Can I take your order?"

Lee shook himself when the boy spoke. His voice was as deadpan as his gaze, just as unwavering.

"I-I apologize! Yes, I would like the Cat Paw, please! Can you tell me what that is?"

The boy clicked the order into the register. "You're ordering it without knowing what it is?"

"Absolutely! I've never been here before, see."

The boy looked up and Lee felt a jolt. "It's a dessert. Is that everything?"

Lee paused. "Uh, ah, I'll take a coffee too." He shook his head internally, wondering why his words were melting into a wobbly mess at the sight of this boy. Lee felt his cheeks burn. He was suddenly very self-conscious of his sweaty t-shirt and sandals. What if his feet stank? He'd been walking around all afternoon, he was liable to sweat a little bit. That was okay, right? People sweat. Sure, maybe he more than others, but that was a sign of good health, right?

 _What is this feeling?_

The boy seemed completely oblivious to Lee's internal struggle. "Seven fifty," he said listlessly.

Lee reached into his pockets for change. As he handed it over, his finger ever so slightly grazed the palm of the café employee. Lee's heart leapt to his throat. It was like an electric current passed between them.

Lee's heart pounded as the boy rustled around in the cash register. "Your change." He held the coins out, waiting for Lee to open his palm to catch them.

Coming back to reality, fresh embarrassment surged over Lee. He opened his palm, and the boy slowly dropped each coin. The boy could almost be teasing Lee, if there was any humour in his face.

"Food's on the other end. Next customer."

"Ah- thank you!"

But the other boy was already talking to the next customer, Lee's thanks falling on deaf ears. Ashamedly, he took his coffee and cat paw, which turned out to be a disgustingly sugary cinnamon thing, and slunk off to find a secluded table amongst the bustling café.

 _Way to go, Lee,_ he grumbled to himself as he tore into his food. _That guy probably thinks you're sooo weird! You were too forward again!_ He took an angry slurp of his coffee and almost spat it out, still boiling hot. Lee ate mechanically while he waited for the coffee to cool, refueling his body from the walk. He liked drifting around downtown, stopping by shops and enjoying the nice summer weather while vacation lasted. It was a good way to let his aching muscles cool down from rigorous training while still remaining active. Usually he ran into Naruto or Sakura or one of the others, and that was always pleasant too. If he could convince one of them to finish training with him for the rest of the day, all the better. But so far there was not a familiar face to be seen. Lee wondered where everyone could be as he sipped his coffee more prudently, eyes darting out the window.

Still, how could a stranger affect him in such a way? So immensely? It was straight up bizarre, and Rock Lee thanked his lucky stars he had never encountered the blue eyed red head in the battle field. His knees were so weak he doubted his ability to stand, let alone land a kick.

 _Pull it together, Lee! You cannot let this weakness get to you! You must be strong!_

In the middle of his internal mantra a flash of red hit the corner of his eye. A shiver rattled up his spine as the same red headed boy pulled out the chair opposite Lee and took a see. He look up to Lee.

"Do you mind?"

Lee's heart pounded. There was a strange rushing between his ears. "Ah- uh, no! Not at all!"

The boy already pulled out a small paperback. He also put a small coffee on the table.

"Thank you. There's nowhere else to sit."

Lee scratched his head. "Haha, yes! I can imagine, your feet must be tired from standing all day. By all means, feel free to sit."

The boy nodded, already perusing his paperback. He took a small sip of coffee, and Lee couldn't help but notice the way it wet the boys pale lips. Shaking himself, Lee dove into his pastry with fresh vigor, determined to overcome the squirming in his stomach.

The boy placed the coffee back on the table, and as his eyes scanned the paperback, Lee stole glances when he was sure the server wasn't looking. The boy's eyes were so _blue,_ and steely like ice. The black kohl that lined them made the colour pop, contrasting highly. His skin was unbelievably smooth and unmarred. Lee wondered if the boy had ever had so much as a zit in his entire life. It didn't seem so. And his _hair_ , so wild and such a brilliant red that Lee could not tell if it was natural or not. The boy had no eyebrows to compare his hair to. The lack of eyebrows might have looked downright weird on anyone else, but they gave the server an other-worldly effect, almost alien.

The boy looked up suddenly. Caught off guard, Lee hurriedly ducked his head, but the damage was done. He could tell the server was still watching him as Lee awkwardly dissected the rest of his food, no longer hungry.

 _Come on, Lee! This is no way for a warrior to act, you are retreating! Do not retreat! Attack!_

Mustering up all the courage he had, Lee looked the server square in the eye and flashed a grin. "So, what is your name anyway?"

The server blinked. Lee pumped an internal fist. _Ahah! I have caught him off-guard!_

The boy looked at him. As the boy answered, he pointed to the name tag attached in plain sight on the boy's shirt. "Gaara."

Lee's courage melted instantly. "Right! Of course, you wear a name tag! I did not notice- I apologize for asking such a ridiculous question!" He babbled all while red filled up his face.

Gaara looked to his book again. "It's fine."

"Right, well, my name is Rock Lee!"

With palpable reluctance, Gaara tore his eyes from the paperback to Lee. Although he didn't have eyebrows, even Lee could see the furrow of annoyance in the boy's forehead.

"Rock Lee," Gaara's voice was cold and clipped. "I have eleven minutes on my break left. I would like to finish this chapter. It is nothing personal but I am very tired."

Gaara's voice was so cold that it sucked the life from Lee. The blow was almost physical, a punch straight to the gut. His face flushed further, and he struggled to keep his face calm.

"Oh, ah, of course! My apologies, Gaara."

But it seemed like the boy wasn't even listening anymore, enthralled by whatever was between the pages of his paperback. Lee sat back, no longer hungry. His spirits were dampened considerably.

 _I will finish my coffee, and then go for a ten kilometer run to pick up my spirit._

Lee picked up his coffee and started chugging, draining the remaining hot stuff in a single gulp. So much coffee at once going straight into his stomach made him queasy, but that was nothing compared to the internal roller coaster Lee was strapped to. He bunched up the rest of the food in a napkin and stuffed it into the empty coffee cup, brushed any stray crumbs into his palm. Then summoning his determination, Lee stood up from the table and left without a word.

No matter how hard he ran, Lee could not escape those brilliant blue eyes playing over and over in his head. _He is so cute! So cute! But I must concentrate._ Taking a deep breath, Lee broke into a sprint, lapping the race track within seconds. Sweat drenched his skin and fell into his eyes, salt stinging. His chest was on fire, but Lee pushed harder.

"Woah there, Lee! Nice training."

Startled, Lee skidded to a halt to greet the tall man approaching the track field. "Oh, hi Guy-sensei."

Might Guy flashed a mighty grin. "That was some impressive speed, Lee. You're getting faster every day."

Lee flushed with pride. "Thank you, sensei!"

"You've been hitting the track a lot recently, haven't you?"

"That is right! I want to become even faster!"

Guy nodded and smiled. "That's all well and good. But I want to remind you, don't focus all your energy into running. I want to see you brushing up on that taijutsu of yours. Your technique could use some finessing."

Nodding seriously, Lee wiped the sweat from his brow. "Yes, Guy-sensei, but is speed not important in a fighting scenario?"

"Well, it is." Guy held up a finger and flashed that smile of his. "But you can't rely on speed if a situation gets sticky. A real warrior faces their opponent head-on, with integrity! Speed is good, yes, but it cannot be your only weapon. If all you have is speed, the most you can do is run away. You must have taijutsu, technique, strength, bravery, all the things that come together to make a true hero. Got it?"

Lee felt tears welling up in his eyes. _Guy-sensei is so inspirational!_ "Yes sir, I understand!"

Guy-sensei clapped Lee on the back and chuckled. "Then go get'em, tiger!"

"Right!"

Without another thought Lee took off running down the street, leaving a trail of smoke behind him. Guy-sensei watched with pride as his prized pupil disappeared into the distance. Then he scratched his head. _The practice dummies are in the arena,_ he thought to himself. _Where in the heck is Lee going?_

Within seconds Lee was back at the café, heading pounding in his chest. Fresh youthful vigor surged through his veins. With confidence, he seized the doorknob and re-entered the place of the dreaded encounter.

The sun was setting and it seemed like most of the customers were gone for the day. But Lee stopped in his tracks when he saw the telltale red hair behind the counter. He took a deep breath and reassured himself. _You must face challenges head on, Lee! Make Guy-sensei proud of you!_

Without giving himself time to overthink, Lee went to the counter.

"I would like a coffee, please!"

At the sound of his voice, Gaara's head moved. Then he turned and faced Lee, stoic as ever.

"You're back."

Lee nodded, determined to not let those blue, blue eyes derail his train of thought. "Yes! The coffee was delicious, and I wanted to give it a second try before the day was over."

Gaara got the work putting the coffee together wordlessly. Lee's nerves were electric, his palms sweaty. _Can I do this?_

Lee took a deep breath.

"And can I have your number please?!"

Several patrons turned their heads as Lee realized he forgot to use his indoor voice. Gaara stood frozen, mid-pour. His eyes were so wide it scared Lee.

 _Oh no, I scared him off! Great going Lee._

Then, after a suspended second, Gaara seemed to come back to life. He finished pouring the coffee and sealed the plastic lid, wordlessly setting it before Lee. He did not look Lee in the eyes.

Lee's heart dropped like a stone. "Ah, okay, thank you. It's two dollars, right?"

Reaching into his pocket for change, Lee tried to shake off the overwhelming shame crawling all over him. To be rejected was bad enough. To be rejected in public was a blow to the name of Rock Lee. _I'll have to do at least a thousand push ups to restore my honour._

But before he could set the coins on the table, Gaara waved his hand.

"It's on me."

"Huh?"

Gaara stared at him with those unrevealing eyes and spoke again. "It's on me. Enjoy."

Lee stammered, ready to protest when he saw the numbers scrawled in black sharpie on the side of the cup. His eyes widened.

"Uh- thank you! Yes, I will be sure to enjoy this most delicious coffee!"

He couldn't pinpoint what changed the boy's spirit. Maybe it was because it was close to closing time. Maybe Gaara was just really into reading. Maybe a customer had left a massive tip and Gaara was trying to secure Lee's business after a rocky exchange.

 _Maybe….he thinks_ I'm _cute too!_


	2. Chapter 2

"Guy-sensei!" Rock Lee shouted in exhilaration as he raced towards his role-model, mentor, and father figure, who was running drills and combo attacks against the wooden dummies in the training field. He waved the empty coffee cup frantically in the air. "It worked! Your advice worked!"

Guy paused mid-punch and flashed a winning smile. "That's great Lee! What advice was this?"

"I faced my opponent head-on and proved victorious!" Glowing with pride, Rock Lee thrust the coffee cup in front of Guy-sensei's face. "You see that?"

"It's, ah, an empty cup, Lee."

"No! The number! I got his number!" Lee clutched the coffee cup to his chest and swooned. "He was the prettiest man I've ever seen in my life, with soft skin like a fresh downfall of snow and dazzling eyes like a water colour painting of the Caribbean Sea."

Guy chuckled as suddenly all the pieces fell into place. He stroked his chin knowingly. "So, it's a boy then?"

Lee sighed, looking up at the clear blue sky, his cheeks tinged pink. "Oh Guy-Sensei, it's the most beautiful boy in the world! In existence! I am smitten, he has stolen my heart! I want to call him right away!"

"Well, let's not be too hasty," said Guy, setting a calm hand on his energetic student. "You don't want to scare him off. I'd give it a day if I was you."

Lee nodded seriously. "I'll take your advice." _Guy-sensei is so good with the ladies. He knows what he is talking about!_

Patting his young pupil on the back, Guy smiled. "Head on home now, Lee. You did some good training today. Ah, the power of youthful love. It really strengthened your taijutsu."

Lee nodded with pride. "Thank you, Guy-sensei!"

The next day, Lee was sprawled out on his unmade bed, still in boxers and a light t-shirt. The sun was just creeping up over the horizon, light coming through his window making him squint. He yawned and stretched, enjoying the sweet release that gently woke up his muscles. Still foggy with sleep, Lee yawned and wiped the drool from his chin with the back of his hand.

 _Morning already…_

 _…_

 _…_

 _…_

 _IT'S BEEN A DAY!_

Bolting upright, Lee searched frantically for his cellphone. Snatching it up, he clicked into the contacts where he had already stored the number as 'Gaara Dreamy Coffee Boy 3', unable to wait until the actual call had been made. His fingers trembled, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead and back. Lee stared at the screen blankly, stunned. Then, with a sudden energetic burst of resolve, before he could chicken out and put his phone away, Rock Lee pressed the call button with both thumbs.

Heart pounding in his throat, Lee listened to the ringing on the other side.

Suddenly it stopped. It was like there was a hummingbird in Lee's chest. He puffed up his chest and clenched his fist, steeling himself.

"Hello?"

"Hi!" Like a tidal wave, Lee released the breath he'd been holding in great relief. "Hi, Gaara, right? It's Lee. From the coffee shop?"

There was a pause on the other end.

"It's six in the morning," said Gaara, finally. His voice was low and croaky, like he'd just woken up.

Lee froze. "Uh, ah, yeah. I'm an early riser. And I was wondering if, ah, you had plans for the day? I'd really lo-" _play it cool, Lee,_ "-uh, _like_ , the chance to meet up with you. Maybe today, even? If that works for you, I mean!"

Again, the other line was silent. Lee chewed his thumbnail nervously, waiting for the reply.

"Yes."

Lee's spirits shot through the roof. "That's great!" But he suddenly reeled back, realizing that he had not anticipated on getting this far. "What, uh, what would you like to do?" Lee asked, suddenly shaky with uncertainty

"…"

The other line went quiet again, and Lee started sweating. The silence grew and an uncomfortable awkward knot settled in Lee's stomach. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "Or, y'know, we could just play it by ear? Like, meet up and just kinda wing it? Haha."

"…Yes, that's okay."

"So," said Lee, reassuring himself. "So when should we meet up? I'm free all day."

"I work until four," said Gaara, "You could meet me at the coffee shop then."

Lee sprung out of bed, flinging his sheets on the floor. "Perfect! Yes, alright. See you at four, Gaara!"

"See you then, Rock Lee."

The mention of his name sent a pleasant tingle down Lee's spine. He broke into a grin in spite of himself. When the line went dead, he set his phone down and eagerly pulled his pajama top over his head. If the date wasn't until four, he would have to do something about the nervous bursts of energy circulating through him.

Bursting with zeal and anticipation, Rock Lee rummaged through the messy confines of his closet until he pulled out a pair of gym shorts and a decently clean t-shirt. He gave the shorts a sniff and winced, then put them on, figuring no one would get close enough to notice they weren't exactly washed. He would change before the date, obviously. But Rock Lee planned on sweating out as much of his nerves as possible through good old-fashioned rigorous training.

Slipping on his shoes, Lee bolted out the door and into the beautiful blue morning.

Six hours later Rock Lee was bent over, hands on his knees. His legs quivered and sweat poured from his brow, stinging his eyes. He'd circulated between wind sprints, legs, wind sprints, abs, regular sprints to switch it up, arms, a full body hour tabata workout, Olympic weight lifting, yoga to release his muscles, and finished with a fifty mile marathon. Lee's chest swelled with satisfaction, the way it normally did after he pushed himself through a daunting workout. Gasping, he sucked water from his water bottle so forcefully that water dribbled down his chin. Wiping the sweat from his brow with a weary forearm, Lee managed the energy for a grin, satisfied.

 _Way to go, Lee! You killed it again!_

He checked his watch and his face fell. It was barely afternoon, that fact emphasized by the beating hot sun edging to the center of the clear sky, baking Lee's skin. Lee stripped his sweat-soaked shirt off and wrung it, then wiped off liberal amounts of sweat off his face.

Suddenly a wolf-whistle pierced the air.

"HEY CUTIE! COME HERE OFTEN?!"

Lee jumped out of his shoes and immediately cried out in agony as his aching muscles protested. He dropped his shirt in surprise, and as he scooped it up he saw the perpetrators.

Lee broke into a smile. "Oh, Tenten! Neji!"

His two teammates walked up to him Tenten's brown hair was up in its usual two buns and she wore a faded pair of track pants with her grey sports bra, baring her stomach. Being around Rock Lee's no nonsense attitude when it came to working out so often, Tenten slowly grew comfortable showing a bit of skin during her training sessions. She often complained about how constricting shirts were. Lee believed she would work out nude if she could.

Neji flanked her, cheeks flushed red in embarrassment at the comments Tenten had shouted from across the open field. His long hair was swept back in its usual style, tied low at the waist. He wore a plain grey hoodie and the same track pants as Tenten. Lee always thought it was adorable how Tenten managed to match her and her boyfriend's outfits, even if Neji said it irritated him. Lee knew deep down that Neji found it secretly endearing.

"Tenten, could you be any louder?" said Neji, looking irritated.

"Yeah, I could be. Wanna hear?"

"No! No."

"To late," Tenten smirked and took a deep breath. "Here I go-"

But before she could say anything else, Neji grabbed his girlfriend's chin and firmly kissed her. Lee laughed as Tenten's pent up scream melted against her boyfriend's lips. Neji pulled back with the barest hint of a smile.

"Are you done?" asked Neji, fingers still holding Tenten's chin.

Tenten elbowed her boyfriend in the ribs. " _Never_ ," She said dramatically, batting Neji's hand away. She turned to Rock Lee. "Anyways, Lee! Word is you've got a date tonight!"

Lee was surprised. "How did you know!?"

"Guy-sensei has a big mouth," explained Tenten. "So, deets. Now."

Rock Lee sighed dreamily. "He's got pale eyes like a rare gemstone and brilliant red hair like a flame of hope! His name is Gaara and he's a barista. He gave me his number on a coffee cup! I called him and we're meeting up at four, after he's done work. I've been so nervous about it, I've been trying to work out all the stress."

Tenten arched a brow. "And, uh, how's that working for you?"

Lee shook his head, dejected. "So far, no good. My body is exhausted, but my soul is electric with love!"

"Love?" Neji intervened. "It's a little soon for that. You've barely met this guy."

"Yes, I know! But you see," Lee's eyes sparkled, and he clenched his fist in hopeful anticipation. "I have a great feeling about this!" Then he gasped and uncurled his hand, muscles burning from the simple action. "I can't help but feel we will hit it off!"

Neji sighed. "Alright. But don't be upset if it doesn't."

"Neji!" Tenten shoved her boyfriend less-than playfully. "Don't be a downer."

"I'm being _realistic_. How big are the chances you find your true love on the first date?"

Tenten grabbed her boyfriend's arm and pecked him lightly on the cheek. "It happened for us, right? We happened to be put in the same squad when we were twelve, and look at us now."

Neji flushed. "Well, yes, but that's _different…_ "

Patting her boyfriend on the shoulder in a patronizing way, Tenten rolled her eyes and grinned at Lee. "Don't let him worry you. He's an eternal pessimist. You go on your date at four, and have fun."

Tenten's brown eyes were honest and warm, and Lee felt a whole lot better looking into them. He found he always felt safe when Tenten was around. Less so, with Neji. But if ever there was a match for Neji, it was Tenten. Lee found that after the two started dating when they were fourteen, Neji had become noticeably more open and easier to talk to. Conversely, Tenten grew more disciplined and respectful, at least in situations where respect was important. Lee absolutely adored his teammates, and often quoted himself as being 'in love with their love'. Tenten though it was sweet; Neji found the sentiment revolting, but he tolerated it with nothing more than a frown and eyebrow raise, which was not nearly enough incentive to stop Rock Lee from saying it. The couple had been dating for four years and were still going strong. Lee had little doubt theirs would be the first wedding he'd attend in his adult life.

"And anyways," Tenten continued with a grin, 'If you can't win him over with small talk, just take your shirt off."

"Tenten!" Rock Lee flushed even harder, quickly pulling the slightly-less wet sweat stained shirt over his head. He wrinkled his nose. Even though it was his own odour, Lee could tell he reeked. Already the sweat from his body was appearing in dark patches on the fabric, over his chest, back and armpits.

Neji plugged his nose and waved his hand. "I hope you plan on showering beforehand."

"Obviously!" Lee frowned with indignation.

Tenten scooped her arm through Neji's. "We should get going, we've got a training schedule to keep. Good luck tonight! Not that you'll need it," she said, winking.

"Aha, thank you!"

"Yes, good luck," added Neji with a rare smile. "I hope he deserves you." Then Tenten tugged his arm and led him away, the two playfully nudging as they left.

Lee beamed as he watched his two best friends walk towards the training arena.

 _I cannot let them down. This date WILL be a success! I can feel it!_

Lifting his shirt collar to his nose and taking a whiff, Lee gagged. Showering was a top priority right now. With the remainder of his energy, Rock Lee broke into an easy jog home.

One lengthy, luxuriously hot shower later and Rock Lee was towelling his thick black hair dry while he waited for the toaster to go off. He leaned against the kitchen counter with a towel wrapped low on his waist, the air cold against his freshly dried skin. Finished with his hair, Rock Lee grabbed a black lock and sniffed it. He smiled.

 _Mmmm, coconut_

But then a terribly thought crossed Lee's mind.

 _What if he doesn't like coconut?!_

The pop of the toaster scared Lee back to earth. Shaking his head, he unscrewed the peanut butter jar and spread a liberal amount on both slices of toast.

 _Don't think that way, Lee! Be confident! Anything is better than smelling like sweat_

Lee crunched through his toast in two bites, starving after the unforgiving workout. He popped two more slices in the toaster and peeled a banana to eat while the bread toasted. No matter what situations confronted him, Rock Lee never lost his appetite. He could be on the edge of a cliff staring a thousand feet down into certain death and still be in the mood for a cheeseburger. Banana finished, Lee unwrapped a protein bar. He finished it just as his toast popped, then repeated with the peanut butter. The entire meal took Lee ten minutes.

Dished in the sink to be washed later, Lee wandered back to his bedroom. His room was simple and tidy, a plain single bed with navy sheets, a desk that he never used, a set of barbells he _did_ use, a meager bookshelf filled mainly with taijutsu techniques and biographies of great warriors, a side table with a glass of water if Lee ever got thirsty in his sleep, and his closet.

It was the latter that Lee stood in front of now with a puzzled look on his face, as though he was trying to solve an impossible riddle. He rifled through endless hangers of sports pants, plain shirts, pausing to smile when he stumbled across the dark green body suit Guy-sensei had given him, back to more plain sports clothes. Slamming the closet door shut, Lee groaned with frustration.

"How do I not have a single piece of nice clothing in my entire closet?!" he proclaimed to the ceiling, hands fisting his hair. The only non-workout related article he'd found was the faded suit he saved for fancy occasions. Although he was tempted, even Lee figured it might be too much to show up with all the bells and whistles on the first date.

Searching his room, Lee's eyes fell on his phone resting on the bed stand. He sighed, then snatched it up and searched through his contacts.

 _Neji's training with Tenten…_

 _Naruto? Nah, he had a date today._

 _Sasuke? Still on a mission._

 _Shikamaru! He's free today, right?_

Hope renewed, Lee pressed the dial button. He held the phone to his ear, biting his nails as the other end rang.

"…Hello?"

"Shikamaru?!" Lee blurted. "It's Rock Lee!"

"…I could have guessed."

"Are you okay?" Lee sat on his bed, cross legged. "You sound grumpy."

"I…just woke up."

"Shika- what?! It's already one! In the afternoon!"

"Yeah yeah, save the lecture. What do you want?"

Shaking his head, Lee could not understand how anyone could willingly forfeit the best part of the day for something as boring and uneventful as _sleep_. Even though Lee was vigilant about getting his eight hours a night, it was his least favorite part of living a healthy lifestyle.

"I have a date tonight, but I don't have anything to wear. Could I borrow something? You have such a sharp style!"

Shikamaru sighed heavily, and Lee could imagine him pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"Yeah, that's fine."

Oh thank you! I'll be over in half an hour!"

"Oh, that's-"

But Lee already hung up the phone. He practically vibrated with excitement. _Shikamaru always wears the coolest clothes! This will be a sure-fire success!_

Thirty minutes later, Lee rocked eagerly at Shikamaru's door. He waited, shifting on his toes while footsteps thudded lazily down steps on the other wide.

"Hey," said Shikamaru, leaning his whole bodyweight against the door. He was still in sweatpants, tied low on his hips, and shirtless, hair scrapped into a messy pony tail. "Come on in. I've got options for you."

In Shikamaru's room, Lee sat gingerly on Shikamaru's unmade bed. It was hilarious how spick-n-span Shikamaru kept his room. There was a bookshelf full of puzzles and other weird gadgets that Lee could only guess at how they worked, all arranged in clean lines. Shikamaru opened his closet to reveal a perfectly crisp and kept wardrobe, cardigans on hangers and pants folded in neat piles. Lee always found it hilarious how such a lazy guy kept such an orderly room, but Shikamaru had explained on more than one occasion that it was easier not having a mess to clean up in the first place. His tendency for cleanliness was lazy incarnate, according to him.

"Here," Shikamaru tossed a pile of clothes at Lee, who caught them at the last minute. "Those are my go-to's. You should find something in there."

Lee dug through the pile, pulling out a grey blazer with black polka dots. "This is slick!"

Shikamaru sighed. "It is. Try it with the blue slacks. Put the white dress shirt on underneath. Do you have white shoes?"

Lee pulled his shirt off and buttoned up the white dress shirt. It was soft and wrinkle-free, a testament to Shikamaru's particularity about clothing. Lee would have believed that Shikamaru's mother was the one doing laundry, but Shikamaru liked everything just so. Even if he only washed his laundry about once a month, he made sure to do it _right_.

The shirt was a little tight over his chest, and Lee struggled to get the final button done. Shikamaru clicked his teeth. "Easy on the shirt there, broad-shoulders. That wasn't cheap."

"Yes! I apologize."

Lee slipped on the pants, which thankfully fit without an issue. He'd seen then on Shikamaru before, who liked his clothing on the loose side. As it happened, the blue slacks fit Lee perfectly. Accepting the blazer from Shikamaru, Lee wiggled his arms through and buttoned two black middle buttons.

Shikamaru took a step back and nodded. "I like it."

Admiring his reflection in the mirror, Lee nervously smoothed the front of the blazer. "You sure?"

Shikamaru arched a brow. "You doubting my innate fashion sense?"

"No! I just need this to be perfect." Lee looked candidly into Shikamaru's eyes. "I really like this guy," he confessed. "I just…want the best first impression possible."

Shikamaru softened. He looked Lee down from head to toe, leaning forward with greater investment. Then, he stood up and strode right to Lee, reaching out to fix his collar.

"Y'know, at the end of the day it's not about the outfit," Shikamaru said casually, smoothing the collar flat around Lee's neck. "It's confidence. You got that in excess, right?"

Lee nodded. "Yes, normally you are correct! But this boy… it's so different!"

"Ah. You really like him then."

"Yes," Lee answered honestly, even though Shikamaru hadn't been asking. He swallowed and remembered the first encounter, and a lovely warmth spread through him. "I cannot wait to see him."

"What's his name?"

"Gaara. He works at that new coffee shop."

"Huh." Apparently satisfied with his work, Shikamaru took an approving step back. "You look dynamite. What time's the date?"

"Four!" Lee checked his phone for the time, and was shocked to see it was already three thirty.

"Ah, well, good luck." Shikamaru patted Rock Lee genially on the shoulder, then brushed off a piece of lint. He led Lee to the front door. "Don't worry about washing the clothes. I'll do that."

Lee nodded. "Thank you so much, Shikamaru!" In a burst of excitement he squeezed a less-than willing Shikamaru into a hug. "I'm sure this will be great!"

Weakly, Shikamaru patted Lee on the back. "Me too. Now, uh, I'm going back to bed."

"Right!"

Shikamaru closed the door and Rock Lee proceeded down the street, humming nervously as he went. With about half an hour until the date, there was nothing he could do but head to the café.

Butterflies in his stomach, Lee steeled himself for what he was sure would be the greatest evening of his life.

* * *

Okay I wrote more on what was SUPPOSED to be a one-shot. I'm so weak, save me from myself. But hey, we get to see a date now.

Please leave a review if you liked!


	3. Chapter 3

Rock Lee burst into the café, heart hammering in in his chest. For a wild second he panicked when he saw the barista behind the counter was a tall brunette, decidedly _not_ Gaara. Unable to help it, Rock Lee assumed the worst. Visions of car wrecks wracked him, Gaara bandaged like a mummy confined to a hospital bed.

 _Or maybe he was mugged on his way to work…he's not that big, he could not easily fend off intruders… Or perhaps a deadly illness struck him down and he called in sick…What if he is lying at home in bed right now, in agony?! Or what if-_

"Hello Rock Lee."

A low voice thudded in his ear from behind him close enough to tickle, and Rock Lee shot five feet into the air like a startled cat. Clutching his chest, Lee turned to see Gaara, who was waiting patiently behind him, a look of mild concern drawn on his face.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes!" Lee nodded hastily. "You snuck up on me, I didn't even hear your footsteps."

"Oh, sorry."

"No, no, it's fine! It's cool, you're like a vampire or something, haha!" Looking around the coffee shop for something to save him, Lee felt his foot sink deeper into his mouth. "I hope you take that as a compliment, because that's how I meant it. Even though vampires aren't really depicted as being nice guys, y'know, they're more evil and blood-suckery and-"

"Rock Lee," Gaara extended a meaningful hand on Lee's shoulder, and Lee's rambling cut off with a blush. "What are we doing?"

"Uh, standing in a coffee sh-"

"On the date."

At the word _date_ , Rock Lee felt an electric spark. It filled him with determination that he would make this an absolutely successful time with Gaara. The boy before him deserved nothing less than the absolutely best time ever.

Gaara eyed Lee, for the first time with a hint of nerves. "I…didn't dress up. I don't have anything formal." As it was, Gaara wore a pair of plain black joggers that clung loosely to his slim legs, and a black muscle shirt with three silver pyramids outlined with shimmer. All the black made him seem even smaller than he was, but his red hair and pale eyes stood out against the outfit like blood on snow. Lee suddenly felt very aware of his polka-dot blazer, and the sparkling white shoes he'd scrubbed to baking-soda perfection to match his outfit without flaw.

Hasty to correct his fist impression, Lee stated honestly, "Your outfit is perfect! Do not even sweat it."

Like a flicker of sunlight in an overcast sky, Gaara smiled. "Yours is perfect, too."

Lee could not believe his ears. _We are not even five minutes into this date and things are already going swimmingly!_

The pair strolled outside into an afternoon as clear and blue as a picture. Scents from various food vendors wafted through the air, sizzling hotdogs and richly spiced curries that brought to mind scorching sun and bustling caravan-filled streets. His previous meal already devoured by his permanently famished muscles, saliva pooled in Lee's mouth. He asked Gaara if he was hungry, and when Gaara said yes, Lee bought two take-out rice and curries from one of the food trucks. Hot food in hand, they walked until they came across a park with empty picnic tables. Children teetered precariously at the top of the jungle gym while parents watched with eagle eyes and tense shoulders. Shouts and giggles filled the air.

Lee dove into his food with enthusiasm, always in the mood to eat. Gaara took his time opening the styrofoam package, mixing the curry with the rice methodically and blowing the steam away before he took a bite.

"Do you not like curry?" Lee asked when his food was obliterated and Gaara's pushed away, picked over and half finished. "Oh, no, I should have asked before I bought it."

"No, I do." Gaara said. "I get full quickly. It was good, though."

His words seemed genuine, and Lee relaxed a notch. "As long as you're satisfied," he grinned.

Gaara appeared caught off guard. His eyes wandered around the park, like he was following a piece of cotton on the breeze. "Are…you satisfied?" he asked slowly, still looking away.

Hearing the words aloud made Lee realize how _weird_ he must have sounded, saying that. He laughed. "Yeah! Yes, absolutely. Well…I could actually go for dessert or something."

"You're still hungry?"

"I'm never really full, haha."

"You can have my food," said Gaara, pushing his leftovers to Lee. "I won't eat it."

The gesture touched Lee. He picked up his fork. "Are you sure?"

Gaara nodded. Lee ate the curry, relishing in the ecstasies of flavour and food. As he ate, Gaara sat in silence, but there was nothing strained about it. Gaara almost seemed to enjoy watching him.

 _If he likes watching me eat, we really would be the perfect couple! I can demolish a buffet in seconds flat! And it was really nice of him to let me finish his curry. What a great guy. I even offered for him to finish it, but he didn't-_

Rock Lee froze mid-chew as something suddenly came to him.

Gaara frowned. "Rock Lee…are you okay?"

Lee glanced down at the curry before him, the cooling mustard yellow sauce sticking to the white rice in clumps.

 _Gaara's fork was in this curry_

 _His lips touched that fork_

 _Then went back into the curry_

 _Now my fork is in his curry_

 _My lips_

Lee's face filled up red like a thermometer.

 _!_

 _INDIRECT KISSING_

 _!_

A heat that had nothing to do with spiciness swept over Lee as his hand suddenly quivered, loaded with the weight of newfound understanding. Deliberately, he set the fork back down.

"Oh," said Gaara, "Did you get full?"

"Uh huh," Lee croaked.

"You did eat a lot."

"Ye."

Gaara stared at him for a moment. "Should I…throw that away then?" He pointed to the leftover curry.

"Ye." Lee had never felt such a strain since the time he'd gone on a full-protein diet for a week. His toilet still hadn't forgiven him.

He watched as Gaara picked up both takeout packages, folding the fill one into the empty one. Suddenly his hand outstretched closer to Lee's face. Panicking, Lee caught the hand like an irksome fly. He held it for a suspended second.

 _What is this?_

 _What are we?_

"Ah," Gaara's mouth fell open. He cheeks tinted pink.

Lee's heart raced like a galloping horse. _Was he trying to touch my face? A lover's caress?! Should I have stopped him?_

"Umm," said Gaara, pale eyes. He seemed to be fumbling for words. "Did you…uh…"

 _Why did I stop him?!_

 _Lee you fool!_

 _Let yourself embrace the romance of youth!_

"Uh…should I take your fork too…or…?"

"Ah-" Lee realized he still held the plastic fork, a chunk of sauced sweet potato speared on the end. He looked up at Gaara, whose face was blank as a sheet of paper. Stiffly, Lee released Gaara's hand and slowly put his fork atop the stacked curry takeout. Without a word Gaara turned and went to the garbage can.

Lee felt like a kicked puppy. _You dummy! You dumb dumb dumb dummy dumb dumb-_

"So, um," Gaara returned, looking shy. He sat down across from Rock Lee and rested his elbows on the table. "Was there anything you wanted to do? Today? It's not too late."

Hope fluttered in Lee's heart, a baby bird just learning to take flight. He stood up, freshly energized with the understanding that Gaara did _not_ , in fact, think he was a complete and utter weirdo. Grinning, Lee felt the urge to smother the boy with a hug. "Yes! I'm so happy you asked! I was going to ask, do you like the arcade?"

Gaara smiled, and Lee's heart wept. "Yes," he replied. "I went once with my siblings a while ago. I really liked it."

"Perfect! Let's go!"

The arcade was busy as ever on a Saturday, packed with young kids and teens, bleeping sounds and flashing lights. Rock Lee had enough change for a few games, but Gaara insisted on paying as well, explaining that he didn't want Rock Lee to pay for the entire date. Lee smiled at the offer. _He must really be enjoying this_ , he thought as Gaara fumbled for change to put in the air hockey slot.

"Alright, you're going down!" Lee announced, gripping his slider and grinning. To his surprise, Gaara smiled back. But there was something lurking behind it, like a pair of feral eyes in the dark mist of a forest.

"I don't know about that," Gaara replied. "I like winning."

"Well, I hope you also enjoy being disappointed!" Lee countered with a smile, but he felt as though an ice cube was dripping down the back of his shirt. There was something new in Gaara's pale, pale eyes, a shiny strangeness. Lee shook off the thought. _It's the arcade lights throwing all kinds of colours around._

Lee set the puck in the middle and hit the button. Air whooshed into over the surface of the table, and the puck hovered precariously, inching its way towards Gaara. Gaara smiled.

Striking faster than lightning, Gaara sent the puck flying towards Lee's goal. If it wasn't for Lee's keen eye and killer reflexes, Gaara would have scored, but Lee managed to block the blow just in time. It send a shudder up his wrist, and Lee marvelled at how strong Gaara was.

"You're good," Gaara commented. "I'm glad. This will make things interesting."

"Just you wait!"

Lee toyed with the puck at his end, taking the time to strategize. With a flick of his wrist he caught Gaara off guard, the puck ricocheting off the sides of the table like a bullet in a rubber room. Gaara countered, sending it back with equal speed, but Lee was always just fast enough to block his goal. As the game went on, Lee was acutely aware of the crowd drawn to the table, a few teens and preteens gaping at the blurry comet of an air hockey puck hurtling from side to side faster than a car on the freeway. Soon Lee's arm began to ache, but he dare not relax for a moment, lest Gaara score. Somehow this was transcending being a simple game, and the outcome was suddenly of vital importance, Lee found. There was nothing but the peppered sound of the puck as it hit the sides, the whoosh of sliders over the table, the hiss of air pumping through the holes. He frowned in concentration, and dared to look away from the table at his opponents face.

Gaara seemed transformed. He clutched his slider so harshly that his muscles were prominent all up his arm, like they were drawn onto his pale skin with harsh ink lines. His head was strained in concentration, the tendons in his neck popping. The sockets of his eyes were entirely shadowed, making those pale eyes of his gleam like the scales of a deep water fish. They were wide and hungry.

Lee faltered and the puck whooshed by his hand and into the goal with a _clink_. Gaara leaned back and suddenly his face was normal.

"One, nothing."

"Ah," Lee glanced at the digital clock by the cashier's desk. They had been playing for seventeen minutes before Gaara had finally scored.

"How high does the score go to?" Gaara asked casually.

"I'm not sure," Lee answered honestly. "But, hey, what if we tried a different game? We've already spent so much time here, someone else might want a turn.

He was prepared to defend himself, but startlingly, Gaara complied.

"Would you like to try the basketball one next?" he asked. "Or maybe the race cars?"

There was time enough for both, and then some. After endless rounds of pressing buttons, throwing balls, and steering fake wheels, both Lee and Gaara amassed a heap of tickets. He'd been utterly adorable at the basketball net, flicking and swishing the arcade basketballs with such concentration it made Lee was to laugh or kiss him. Then at the ball throwing game, where the objective was to hit all the teeth out of a clown's oversized smile. Gaara had asked Lee to go for him, since he didn't have good aim. Lee felt practically imbued with the spirit of Lancelot racing to a maiden's rescue atop a great steed. . Whatever strange side that had mutated out of Gaara during air hockey seemed entirely gone, Lee was relieved to see. Then again, the two hadn't played a game involving direct competition since air hockey.

 _Competition is healthy,_ thought Lee. _It's how you push yourself to improve, and be the best you can be!_

Lee had enough tickets for a purple stuffed monkey, and Gaara took a figurine that looked like a kids toy to Lee, but he insisted was a figurine of Horus, some Egyptian god. Prizes secured, the boys walked out into the cooling evening. The sky was growing dark, and the first twinkle of stars were out.

"So," Lee began, hesitation clutching his throat with thick fingers. "So…would you want to do this again sometime?"

"What do you mean?" asked Gaara.

"Oh, haha, you know…go out? On another date?"

Gaara seemed surprised. "Is this one over?"

"No! No, I mean," Lee's cheeks burned, but Gaara was so adorable with his ruffled red hair and soft expression. "Not if…you don't want it to be."

"Do you want it to be?" Gaara asked quietly.

Lee shook his head. "No, not at all! I just don't want to wear you out! I know I'm a lot, that's what all my teammates say, anyways, and I don't want to overwhelm you. I'm very overwhelming," he stated, remember the words Neji had said so often of him.

"You are," Gaara agreed. "I like it."

"You do?"

"Yes. I'm very underwhelming. This is a good match."

"But you're not underwhelming at all!" Lee spluttered. "I've had a wonderful time with you! You're so quiet and cool, except when we played air hockey haha, but that was like a different side of you! And that was cool to see!"

Gaara's face darkened. "I…"

Lee slammed on the brakes as Gaara trailed off. "Wait, did I say something? Is everything okay?"

Gaara sighed. "Let's walk?"

Lee nodded. He was relieved Gaara still wanted to hang out with him, and he burned to hear everything the boy had to say to him.

The city streets were quiet, street lights illuminating, drawing moths. Lee walked with his hands in his pockets. He held his tongue. Gaara seemed like a wild rabbit, uneasy and ready to flee. Lee didn't want to scare him away.

"You can talk to me, just so you know," Rock Lee blurted out before he could stop himself. "I would never betray another's secrets," he finished seriously.

Gaara didn't say anything. His face was smooth, blank like a doll's. Rock Lee could almost imagine the secrets within etching cracks into the surface.

"I…" Gaara began. "…I don't like that part of myself."

"What part?" Lee asked, confused.

"During air hockey. I'm…competitive. I've always been, but I just can't seem to…handle losing."

"Well, isn't it kind of normal to not like losing?"

Gaara looked away. "If you'd scored before me, I might have walked out of the arcade right then."

Lee was shook. "Really?!"

Gaara sighed. "My siblings always tell me, it's not the big deal I'm making it out to be. 'It's just a game'. Their words are ineffective."

"You…really would have left the arcade?"

"Probably, yes." Gaara looked at Lee, his eyes penetrating. "But I would have regretted it."

Lee almost lost himself in the lighthouses that were Gaara's eyes, luminous and wide. "Well, I'm glad I lost then!" He laughed aloud at his own luck into the empty night.

Gaara frowned. Cleary this was not the response he was expecting.

"You're strange."

"If I hadn't have lost, I wouldn't've gotten to know you like this. And I'm really glad for that." Lee said, beaming. "It's okay to not like losing. I mean, yeah, maybe that's a bit extreme. But thank you! For, uh, explaining yourself! It's really great that you are self- aware in that sense- not to say that it is a short coming, but- that is-"

Gaara stopped walking. "Lee," he said.

Lee's stomach filled with butterflies. "Yeah, Gaara?"

"This is where I live."

They were in front of an apartment building towering several stories into the air. Looking around, Lee noticed the graffiti and empty liquor bottles strewn over the cracked pavement. They'd walked into a nasty part of town. Even the building was old and cheaply made.

"Oh, uh, your parents live here?"

"My siblings."

"Oh, I see." Rock Lee trailed off, trying to piece together what to say next. "You, uh, don't live with your parents then?"

"No."

"Me neither!" Lee scratched the back of his head, wishing he could evaporate right on the spot. "I mean, yes, that's a weird thing to have in common. Both my parents travel for work, so they're never home, so I kind of grew up without them…but my teacher, Guy-sensei, practically raised me. He never had kids of his own and just sort of took me under his wing. I owe a lot to him."

Gaara's voice was soft. "He sounds like a good man."

"He is!"

There was a heartbeat of silence between the boys. Lee felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring straight down into unseen depths.

"So," said Rock Lee with a deep breath. "Can I see you again? Would you like that?"

Again, Gaara seemed surprised. He looked into Lee's eyes and suddenly Lee felt like he was falling through air.

"Rock Lee," said Gaara with deliberation. "I would like that very much."

Exhilaration swept over Lee like the wind under a kite, and a wide grin spread over his face. "That's awesome! When are you free?"

Gaara thought for a moment. "Next week I have Thursday morning off."

"Morning?"

"Yes, my shift starts at 12:30."

 _Wow,_ thought Lee. _He works an awful lot._

"If you want," Lee ventured. "You could come training with me? You wouldn't have to do anything you wouldn't want to! It's just, I usually train in the morning, and I like to keep to my routine, but I do take a break! We could grab something to eat? If you want to, if you don't mind waiting around, that is. Guy-sensei's pretty strict about sticking to schedule, but he wouldn't mind if you tagged along!"

Gaara hesitated. "I…could do that."

"You don't have to do like crazy push ups or run ten miles or anything!"

"No, I'll watch."

"Or I could talk to Guy-sensei and reschedule just this once-"

"No, no please don't. Watching sounds nice." Though he spoke quietly, Gaara seemed genuine, as though he just had to fully digest the thought before accepting it.

"Alright then!" Lee exclaimed. Then he stopped. "So, uh, this is good night?"

Gaara nodded. "Yes."

"Um, oh wow, okay," Lee suddenly felt like a melting ice cream cone in the Sahara. "Uh, to be honest, I didn't think I would get this far, so I'm not really sure what to do."

Gaara paused. Then he held out his hand, much like he'd done at the park when they were eating curry. "You could catch my hand again," he said, before lowing it. "Sorry, that was supposed to be a joke."

Lee laughed aloud, so tickled by Gaara's serious face, his deathly approach to comedy. "No, that was hilarious! I knew you were cool and smart, but I didn't know you were funny!"

Gaara's cheeks were rose tinted. Then, before Lee could move, Gaara stepped in close and gently pressed his lips to Lee's for a fleeting moment. He withdrew before Lee could process what was happening, burning even more. His face matched his hair.

"Goodnight," said Gaara as he hastily stuck his key in the apartment door and twisted. He caught Lee's eye one last time before the door closed behind him.

Lee stood rooted to the spot. His fingers flew to his lips, softly tracing the memory of what had just occurred.

 _He…kissed me_

 _Kissed_

 _KISSED_

 _OUR FIRST KISS_

 _!_

Unable to stop himself from grinning like a mad man even if he wanted to, Lee sprinted all the way home, the festive drums of youth drubbing a celebration song in his heart.

* * *

If Gaara and Lee faced off with air hockey instead during the chunin exams...

I did not mean for this story to expand the way it is but man oh man these guys surprise me. Stayed tuned (i guess haha)


	4. Chapter 4

Rock Lee's heart beat in a wild tattoo as he stretched in the open field under a pink sky. The early morning air was cold, drawing mist from his lips as he exhaled, and the sun barely grazed the horizon. Yes, it might be a little early for most, but to Rock Lee this was the best time of the day. Everything in the morning dew glistened fresh and new. It seemed to cleanse Lee's very soul as he stood in the open field, letting the brilliance of dawn wash over him like water. If only Gaara were here, Lee thought to himself. Then this morning would be perfect.

A booming voice roused Lee, and he immediately straightened up as Guy Sensei appeared over the horizon. The sunbeams spilling from behind him made Guy look like some kind of heavenly Adonis, the god of early morning workouts and thick eyebrows.

Lee bounded towards his teacher without nerves. "Guy! I invited the boy to watch me train this morning. I hope that was alright with you."

Guy beamed. His pearly teeth could rival the rays of the piercing sun. He clapped Lee on the shoulder. "Why of course, Lee," he exclaimed with a sense of pride. "I wouldn't expect anything less from my finest pupil. But…" Guy quickly looked around at the empty sprawling field. "…unless I'm mistaken, I don't see anyone here except the two of us."

"I gave him the time," said Lee, frowning. "But it is early! He might be catching up on his sleep. He works so hard."

Guy smiled. "Then he sounds like a good match for you! Nothing better than a power-couple."

Couple. The word glowed within Lee, and he felt his cheeks go pink at the thought. "He is entirely the perfect match for me," said Lee with sudden certainty. And in that moment, he knew it to be utterly true. His eyes darted back the horizon, willing with all his might that he might see a crop of blood red hair appear.

Beside him, Guy Sensei chuckled. "I appreciate the sensation of young love abloom, Lee, but we're wasting the day."

Lee sighed. "You're right, Sensei. I'm sure he'll be here soon. He said he would be."

But the sun climbed higher and higher, changing the sky from pink to a sprawling blue without so much as a cloud in the sky, and still no red painted the field. This grass is entirely too green, Lee thought, as his stomach tightened and his heart punched in his chest as he rounded the twentieth minute planking. With Guy Sensei sitting on his back, the exercise was undoubtedly strenuous, and Lee could feel his abdominals quivering. When he flipped onto his back into an immediate and unforgiving succession of crunches, he stared up at the blank sky. Too blue, he realized as sweat trickled down his forehead, too blue and boring. Whatever happened to red? A stark pop of colour, beautiful! Why did Nature never throw some red up there?

"Lee, get your head in the game," Guy commanded as he held Lee's feet solidly in place. "Don't cheat yourself out of a workout. Remember, it's twenty percent body - "

"Eighty percent brain," Lee grunted as he forced his head up. Guy Sensei was right. The days where Lee focused his entire attention on the muscles he clenched and released were always the days where he was shaking on the walk home. And, of course, infinitely more rewarding. Still, Lee found his mind constantly wandering to pale eyes rimmed with kohl, like attracting magnets. Flaming red hair haunted him and pale skin like fresh fallen snow tormented him. Hard as he tried, Lee could not shake Gaara from his consciousness. The boy's absence was a glaring beacon, a painful red alarm becoming more and more deafening. And as morning crawled into afternoon, a slow dread dropped into Lee's stomach.

"Eat up, Lee," Guy commanded as he unwrapped his own lunch. The two men were sat down on break, an important refueling for the sake of the other half of the workout. Although they called it 'lunch', Lee knew it couldn't be more than ten in the morning. But Lee toyed with his chicken breast, hardly touched his broccoli. The fat pit in his stomach was growing with every millisecond that Gaara did not appear, and if anything, Lee felt like vomiting. The sweat in his eyes didn't sting near as much as his heart. Usually such a brisk morning had Lee brimming with endorphins. But his veins seemed barren and cold, a wasteland.

"Was I wrong, Guy?" Lee began in a small voice. His throat hurt. "Why...where is he? Why didn't he come?"

Guy stopped. He looked at Lee as though suddenly all of the pieces were coming together. Then he sighed. "Listen, Lee. Young love is…like a wild animal. Difficult to capture, harder to tame, and even if you think you've got it by the throat, you can never be certain it won't wriggle out of your grasp and flee." Guy paused, then cocked his head. "How long do you think it takes to tame a wild beast?"

The question startled Lee, and he glanced up. "Uh, I don't really know."

"Take a guess, my pupil."

"Guy Sensei, with all due respect-"

"Go on."

He really is a relentless teacher. With a sigh, Lee complied. "A year? More?"

"Maybe." Guy shrugged. "I don't know. Do you think you could do it in three days?"

"No," said Lee, frowning.

"Four days?"

"No," said Lee with certainty.

"Five?"

"Please, Guy Sensei, where is this going?"

"You've known this boy for a handful of days." The smile on Guy's face grew as he untied the delicately crafted present that was his analogy. "Now, if you fail to tame a wild beast in only a handful of days, should you give up? If you really and truly, with all your might, wanted everything it had to offer? This great, beautiful, rare beast that you only have to blink to let it slip through for fingers. Would you, Lee, give up?"

As Lee listened to his masters words, his blood pounded. Something in the way Guy talked struck a match in his soul, lighting fuses leading straight to his fingertips. "No," Lee heard himself say, "I wouldn't give up."

"You'll what?"

"I won't give up!" Lee leapt to his feet. The sun never seemed brighter and more full of hope than it did now. Fists filled with determination, Lee exclaimed, "I will not give up on Gaara! I will find him and talk to him! I will not let true love slip through my fingers!"

"That's the spirit!" Guy exclaimed, tears in his eyes. "Oh, young love! Do not let the flame burn out too quickly! But let it grow! Let it fill my young student with the fiery passion of youth!"

Tears burned in Lee's eyes. Guy Sensei always knows exactly what to say! Both men bawled as they devoured the rest of their food, and for the rest of the workout it was impossible to tell whether it was sweat or tears soaking Lee's skin.

Lee showered quickly, scrubbing his skin with a hard-bristled brush so fast that when he stepped out, he was so red it looked like he's opened the eighth inner gate. He threw on clean exercise clothes since there was no time to be prudent about fashion, and bolted down the street. Coffee shop, coffee shop, Lee thought rapidly, gotta get to the coffee shop. Talk to him. It'll be fine. Just gotta talk to him.

The bell jingled as Lee pushed the door open and strode to the front counter. An unfamiliar girl frowned at him in her uniform. "Can I help you?"

"Yes! A boy works here, Gaara," Lee exclaimed as he caught his breath. "Is he here?"

The girl pushed her slipping glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Why should I tell you?"

"I'm his boyfriend." The words burst out of Lee's mouth. "His friend. We're friends."

She arched a brow, unimpressed. "He called in sick."

"Oh. Do you know where he might be?"

"I'm not his keeper. Are you ordering anything?"

Lee shook his head, ready to speak when the girl interrupted him. "Then please leave. This is a business, we cater to customers. Y'know, people who actually spend money?" The girl's unpleasantness was like a choking perfume in the way it wafted from her, effortlessly. It made Lee recoil. He shook his head. "Sorry for wasting your time," he said politely as he slipped out the door.

The arcade was empty too. Although he'd be disappointed to find Gaara blowing off work for games, Lee would rather take the immediate relief with a little bit of dampening. He scoured his brains as to where he might be, but the only other place Lee could think of was where Gaara lived. It was a long walk to the other side of down, and not a pleasant one. As he walked, Lee couldn't help but notice the cracks in the sidewalk, growing like a shattering glass as he drew further into the neighborhood. The road was riddles with potholes, and the buildings sagged. It might have been eerie in the nighttime, but by daylight it was just sleazy. Sleazy and broke and mean. Crumbs of broken glass glittered, and Lee gingerly stepped over broken bottles and something that, to his dismay, might've been a used condom. Hurrying his step, Lee prayed that each turn might reveal Gaara's home. Though the memory was hazy (he'd been paying more attention to Gaara's eyes than to his route home), Lee trusted his gut and prayed to fate that eventually he'd stumble down a familiar road. And sure enough, he did.

The daylight did Gaara's building no favors. Lee forgot that Gaara lived in an apartment complex, and he was dismayed to see how shabby it was. The lawn was yellow and gnarled, with bushes like dead witches hands. The door creaked on its hinges, and as Lee grasped the doorknob, he believed it was entirely within his power to rip the door from its rusty frame. Inside, the walls once might have been white, but were now a sickly yellow. The carpet was thick and infested with grime. The doorbell box was out of date, and the apartment numbers were scrawled on peeling tape next to the loose buttons.

Lee stared at the box as the first monkey wrench was thrown into his plans. Which doorbell is his? What should I do? Lee gritted his teeth and made a fist. It was frustrating to come this far only to be deterred by something so small and random. He looked at the mechanically locked entrance, behind which was surely a hallway of rooms that may or may not contain the dearest treasure of his heart. Flimsy as well. If Lee didn't think better of it, he could just kick it down. But with great strength came a great big conscience, and Rock Lee knew it would eat him up if he vandalized Gaara's own building. Besides, it wasn't like the building could afford anymore abuse.

Rock Lee puzzled so hard to himself that when a strong finger tapped his shoulder, he shot three feet into the air.

"Woah!" said a mystery voice as Lee flailed around. "What's your damage, man?"

"I'm so sorry!" Lee exclaimed as he clutched his chest. When he turned, he found himself facing a thin man with wide blue eyes and a weird grin. Lee had never seen such long hair on a man, nor noticed such strange rapid finger movements. It seemed like the man was dying to squeeze something, a stress ball or small animal. He unnerved Lee, his hungry eyes surveying Lee up and down like a x-ray. Other than Gaara, he was the only man Lee had ever seen wearing thick eyeliner. The oversized flannel shirt the man wore smelled like the gutter, as though he slept on the streets.

"Nah, you're fine," the man waved his hand, wrist bone prominent as the flannel sleeve slipped down. "What're ya here for?"

"Uh, my friend. But, um," Lee's brain scrambled as he struggled with himself. "Um, I forgot which number is his." The lie burned on Lee's tongue, and he felt his cheeks get hot. Tenten had told him often that he couldn't tell a lie to save his life. But the blonde man didn't seem to notice. Even as his eyes focused and unfocused on Rock Lee, it was like the lightbulb inside was flickering.

"So…" the man's eyes narrowed. "…you're not here for, uh, y'know…"

"No, I'm sorry. Just my friend."

The man sniffed. "Too bad. I could help you out if you were my business."

Rock Lee frowned. "Your business?"

"Yeah. My man," A cold hand clapped on Lee's shoulder, and the blond man drew close. Lee cringed as he felt warm breath on his skin, smelling unbrushed teeth. "Do you have any cash on ya?"

Lee froze. This was nothing like he ever experienced before, and he didn't know what to do. "No."

Clearly this was not what the man wanted. He chewed the side of his cheek, keeping a stiff hold on Lee. Then, on impulse of whatever internal decision, he let him go with a strong pat. Almost friendly. "Y'know, my man, I could do you a solid. Do you favor, right here? You'll be around, right?"

Lee nodded. "Yeah. I mean, probably."

"Do yourself a favor and say yes."

"Yes."

The man's weird grin widened, like the Cheshire Cat. "Excellent. Means you can take your time repaying me. If I ever got a favor, I can count on you, right?"

Rock Lee faltered. "Well, that depends..."

The man's eyebrows raised. "My man, I have a friend to meet. And he does not like to be kept waiting. This is a limited time offer."

Shaking himself, Rock Lee took a breath and plunged. "Okay, yes. Yes, I can do you a favor. But nothing illegal or-"

"Excellent." It was like the man didn't hear the rest of Lee's rambling. He turned and plugged the code into the door, and with an electronic whirring, it unlocked. "Whelp, there you are. All yours, my man."

Rock Lee nodded and waited, but the man remained still. He held the door wide, and as Lee tentatively stepped through, he felt the man's wide blue eyes on him. Again, the fidgety clammy hand curled over Lee's shoulder, and he felt hot breath in his ear.

"I'll be seeing you, my man."

And just like that, he was gone down the hallway. Rock Lee watched him disappear around the corner, and shuddered. He'd never known anyone addicted to drugs before, but he was almost certain that wasn't true anymore.

Try hard to ignore the pestering thought of what kind of favor such a man could possibly want, Rock Lee refocused. One of these doors had to belong to Gaara. He was so close. Too close to give up! Come on, Lee, don't be discouraged! He started down the hallway, pausing at each door for a moment in hopes of hearing that low quiet familiar voice.

As he loped down hallways and climbed up stairs, Lee's spirits dampened. So far his search revealed nothing, but the noises he had hear were uncomfortable at most and disturbing at worst. A dog yapping, trash television, booming bass, a baby crying, two voices in heated argument, and gunshot that Lee was almost certain belonged to a video game, but still left him uneasy. He rounded the fifth floor, floorboards creaking under his footsteps.

Moans and groans leaked from under the first door, and Lee quickly fled, face aflame. The next door was another bickering couple, and Lee flinched when he heard the harsh shatter of glass thrown against a wall. Half of him wondered if he ought to call the police when a third voice erupted and stopped Lee's heart mid-pulse. He stumbled back in disbelief, then pressed his ear flush to the splintering door. His heart slipped to the floor.

It was Gaara's voice, but harsh and wild, like he was a caged animal dripping in terror. One of the other voices, a woman's likely, rose to meet his height. Another man's joined her, and without seeing anything Lee knew that the pair of voices were a team against Gaara. The thought was a nail stuck in his throat. All he wanted was for it to end. But the voices whipped upwards like spreading wildfire.

So without thinking, Lee raised a shaking fist and knocked on the door.


End file.
